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What is happening in the Redwood Forest 
in Mendocino County

There are two sides to this issue:  environment vs. land owners:

• Before we can communicate on this subject we must be precise and accurate in our information - as the subject is an emotional one as well as a complex one.
• Secondly we must understand what really governs the management of our redwood forest, be realistic in our expectations, be site specific, and we must think long term.
• Our organization believes that there are two ways to address this issue – one is for organizations like ours to purchase forest lands and manage them as we see fit or change the laws that govern the harvest of timber.  As long as private land owners abide by the governing laws, we cannot expect them to give up their ownership rights to harvest timber. 

Terminology:  Some terminology needs to be understood – for instance – some words are considered bad words like clear-cuts, herbicides, and logging.  These are but tools.  They can be used effectively or detrimentally.  It all depends on how they are used and the site-specific conditions where they are used.  I can clearly demonstrate where, when, and how they have been used effectively and also detrimentally in this region.

Inventory:  We must understand that inventory is the single, most vital barometer to a healthy forest – it is the unit measure of the amount of timber growing and standing on the land, measured in board feet per acre (a board foot is 1inch thick by 1x1foot piece of lumber).  What needs to be addressed right now is the depletion of inventory of our redwood forest in this area.  It is crucial!

What governs inventory is supply and demand, which translates into profits.  When the supply is greater than demand there is no incentive to log, inventory increases– when the demand is greater than the supply, prices rise, the incentive to cut is greater, and without some controls inventory is reduced until it collapses.

Environment:  We must understand that environmental considerations are most often in conflict with profits.   That is why laws and regulations must be passes to protect this vital renewable resource.

We must also understand that forests must be managed for long-term purposes. It takes 70 years to grow an average 2-foot diameter redwood tree off an old stump (or second growth).   For a healthy redwood forest we have to look at it with a minimum of 100-year horizon and even several hundred years in order to reestablish some old growth trees which are important to the forest ecology.

Future of our Redwood Forest in the Noyo River Basin:  For our own personal health and well being and that of future generations, forest inventories must be maintained at acceptable levels. More specifically this is necessary for the reduction of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere for the quality of our water supply, and for other environmental factors.

I propose that a minimum of 15,000 bf/acre be required in order to keep a healthy level of inventory in this region.  By doing so most of the 272 pages of the Forest Practice Rules that are uncomprehencable anyway could be eliminated as most all of the environmental and ecological considerations would then take care of themselves.

Historical:  In the early 20’s virtually all of the old growth or giant redwoods were cut on these lands (clear-cut).  The inventory prior to the original logging in this area was about 200,000 bf/acre.  From the 20’s to the late 60’s the second growth had no value so it was able to grow back and recover to where the inventory grew back to about 50,000 bf/acre.  From the late 60’s to date the inventory has depleted to a critical point of about 5,000 bf/acre.  

This all came about because by the mid 70’s the price of harvesting second growth became profitable. By the year 2000, the mills were paying $1450 per thousand board feet or $1.45 /board foot, a 50 times increase or 5,000% increase in value in 32 years.  For Example the Louisiana Pacific Corp. came into this area in the mid 70’s and practiced “Liquidation Logging” which is to deplete the inventory until it is no longer profitable, then sell out and move on to another property.  An investment company.

Profitability:  Profit incentives hinder long term timber management plans as most small landowners as well as investors, timber investment companies, and most corporations look for short-term profits.  The incentive to take profits is almost irresistible when prices are as high as they are now.  This causes a further reduction of inventory until it collapses.  At this point it takes a long time for the forest to recover.  We are almost there now in this region!! 

The Redwood Forest Institute:   RFI  hopes to demonstrate, with its holdings and management plans, that this vital renewable resource can be managed for the benefit of future generations with minimal adverse impact on the environment and forest ecology. As a non-profit entity, RFI properties can be allowed to heal as long as it takes without the pressures of profits, taxes, and investment costs. 

We hope that you might feel this is a  worthy cause and want to participate by becoming a member with a donation (minimum donation $25.00) so that RFI can purchase trees and or properties in the area that can be saved for future generations.  In this way you too can become one of our 314 current members .  

Click on Membership page.

Thank you,

Charles Bello, President Redwood Forest Institute